Attention!!! Pro Sports Daily will be down on Wednesday morning from 5:00am - 7:00am eastern time for database maintenance. All Sports Direct Inc. properties will be down during this scheduled outage.
Sorry for any inconvenience that this outage may cause.

If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

i love the high praises for Allen Webster! hopefully he is the real deal!

I think he's the safer bet compared to Rubby, while De la Rosa is more of a flashy guy (Pedro-comp) with more bust potential due to some obvious injury concerns.

But yes, our farm has come a long way and while I think you can never have enough SP-depth in the minors, our farm should produce some nice arms over the next few years.
We need that healthy mix of young and cost-controlled players coupled with veterans, that'll do wonders for your payroll and team chemistry and product on the field.

They're also looking at a pretty interesting group of position-player prospects racing up the system, led by Xander Bogaerts, who has improved his defense at shortstop this year and might defy earlier expectations and stay at the position.

Rubby de la Rosa blew up as a prospect before blowing out entirely back in 2011, but he's back from Tommy John surgery and, by 2013, should be able to pick up where he left off when his elbow snapped. He has touched 100 mph as a starter and sits comfortably in the mid-to-upper 90s, offsetting it with an above-average changeup with good fading action in the mid-80s, and, before the surgery, could throw both pitches for strikes. His slider is hard but really short, 82-86, but it doesn't have a lot of tilt to it because he tends to get on top of the pitch, often coming out higher than he does on his fastball; his curveball, a pitch he seldom throws, is in the mid-70s, breaking down but without tight rotation.

Even an average slider would give him No. 1 or No. 2 starter potential, and I think he can get there if he can release it from a slightly lower spot, closer to where he releases the fastball. It's a huge arm in any role, and, as long as he's healthy, he should be able to start.

is Tazawa still consider a prospect? He's been up and down so much. But damn he is throwing 95-97 now. Now if he somehow could find his 12-6 curveball again, he might be a starter with the splitter as 3 pitch mix. He hardly walks anybody. Just 1.8BB/9

Rubby De La Rosa, RHP: Not technically a prospect, De La Rosa posted a 3.71 ERA with a 60/31 K/BB in 61 innings for the Dodgers in 2011, exceeding rookie qualifications. He is recovering from Tommy John surgery and has pitched 12 innings in the minors this year as part of his rehab work, posting a 0.00 ERA with a 12/3 K/BB and just five hits allowed, pitching for the Arizona Rookie League Dodgers and the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in the High-A California League. A healthy De La Rosa features a mid-90s fastball, with a slider and changeup. The 23-year-old can develop into a number three starter, perhaps a two if he really maxes out. If durability becomes a concern, he can be a fireballing reliever. I would give him a Grade B+ if he was still a prospect.

Allen Webster, RHP: The key rookie in the trade, Webster was drafted in the 18th round in 2008, from high school in Madison, North Carolina. Primarily an infielder as a prep, he made a successful transition to full-time mound work in the minors. He had an excellent 2010 season in the Low-A Midwest League, but was erratic in 2011. 2012 has been more successful, with a 3.55 ERA and a 117/57 K/BB in 122 innings for Double-A Chattanooga.

Webster is listed at 6-3, 185, born February 18, 1990. He has a mid-90s sinker that helped him post a 2.05 GO/AO ratio this year, allowing only one home run. His improvement this year results from greater consistency with his curveball, slider, and changeup. He's been very effective of late, with a 2.08 ERA in his last 12 starts with a 64/35 K/BB in 65 innings.

Webster's command still needs some work, but he has the natural ability to be a number two starter if everything comes together. I'd rate him a Grade B+.

Machado didn't even have good minor league numbers.....not like xander

No but like Xander he is very young and has great tools. We're lucky, not many 19 year olds start to show off their great tools in game action as soon as Bogaerts has. Personally, i think Bogaerts will be a better batter, but Machado has a better chance of sticking at SS than Bogaerts, so his bat will probably play very well there.

I read an article by Chad Finn recently suggesting a move for X Bo to 1B. He has the body for it, and he can't stay at SS and we need someone to play there. Either 1B or LF for him. Thoughts?

I would much rather see him in LF. And my second choice would be get Bogaerts ready for 3B, sign Swisher for a couple years and stick him at first then move Middlebrooks to first once Bogaerts come up.